


Tau-Vana

by Kaoz



Series: Phade [16]
Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Supernatural
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-06-07
Updated: 2014-08-02
Packaged: 2017-10-19 17:51:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/203566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaoz/pseuds/Kaoz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>#11  We are the eyes that see. We are the record of the past, the present and a future that is ever changing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

There's all types of hell but the most common, the most popular is the church hell. Dante wrote about it in _The Inferno_ – angels and demons…

There's all sorts of hell dimensions- yes, they're dimensions and I've seen plenty of what comes through to this world. I've got plenty more memories of others and their experiences as well and that’s a story for later.

Guess this is where I should introduce myself….

I'm Sebastian Vartan.

My Mom is Phade or Jaden, depending on who’s talking. She’s a Fury and not like the Greek Myths.

She’s … my Mom…

I remember what it was like before all of this happened.

Before we came to the Hyperion and Mom freaked out when she saw Lorne. I mean, after everything they-her family- told her she saw, was all in her head and making her say she’d been lying about them- the scary things that weren't supposed to be real… seeing Lorne completely freaked her out. Because there was the proof she wasn’t crazy; a green demon with red eyes and horns, holding a drink in one hand and an ax in the other…

Yeah, good times.

So Mom never mentioned any of it to gramps. Not when he’d pick me up from school cus Mom was working late at one of those temp jobs. Not when Mom picked me up from his house late Sunday nights if I stayed over, not on the few occasions she stuck around for the family bar-b-q, gramps insisted his kids attend at least once a month. Mom never brought it up; never made a fuss…she just let it slide.

It had to be hard for her. There were plenty of comments from my aunts. Abuelo never said anything against it either, just pretended not to hear them. I guess it was easier for him; he's lost his wife, the little sister that looked up to him… and now he's lost my Mom.

More than once.

We thought she died at the HellMouth.

Then she was punished by the Powers That Be and the Od-VaiLumen. Anyway, that’s another story too.

You know, she's not that bad. Mom lets a lot of shit slide- gives you plenty of rope to hang yourself with and believe me… its been a little lonely growing up being just Mom and me. There's never been much time with my cousins let alone sleep overs, Mom never let me go. I guess she didn’t want me to hear more than I already did. Thing is, she's pretty forgiving, she's not above giving second chances depending on how badly you pissed her off. But with Abuelo and her sisters…they didn’t make her angry.

She told me once, sometimes its easier to distance yourself from the people you love or care about, than to say things you know you’ll regret.

So she did.

Because whatever they’ve done and said, my Mom still loves them enough not to hurt them back in the same way.

Or worse. …

Life got easier for us, me and Mom, when she stayed with Angel and worked for him. Easier and scary cus there was no way to hide the demons and vampires and witches and all the other boogey men that came into the Hyperion asking for help. Scared me sometimes too, but Mom was always there so no worry cus we had Angel too.

Angel… vampire with a soul.

Crazy right? But its true and a Champion… he watched out for us, for everyone. He made sure we were all safe, and he tried too. Got that guilty, sufrido look when Mom was hurt trying to save Connor. She looked terrible for a few days after it too and grumpy as all hell. Man, she hated being bruised and sore. She hates feeling useless or thinking she's a burden to anyone. There's that ‘suck it up’ attitude they all grew up with. It’s made her tough, makes her push through her pain…

I used to wish she hadn't found the spell. The one that put her on the path to The Light. But then I think about that night Angel carried her out of the barge and back to our car where she made me hide… I was just a kid, I didn’t get _why_ she was doing that, getting in the way of trouble… Mom just couldn’t let the past go. She couldn’t be still, ignore other people suffering and pretend there wasn’t anything evil living alongside us. She couldn’t live that way anymore, and… I don’t blame her.

Yeah, I still hate she left me behind. I'm pissed the twins got her while I was left here. Not just once, not even twice! I mean after one you'd think Mom would come up with some kind of plan not to get dragged off whenever the higher ups felt like it.

I know what she'd say. Mom would tell me those are the moments and experiences that build you. The you that’s strong enough to survive as an adult out in the real world … and for us? That means all sorts of funky monsters.

… I've been thinking of 'looking'.  Firsthand knowledge of what my Mom was like as a kid? … but then there's other things… events in her life I maybe don’t want to see firsthand. I've got enough of those horror stories thanks to the Tau-Vana before me. But Mom …

She watched her Mom die.

She saw the thing that did it.

And when no one believed her… when they threatened to put her in the loony bin if she kept it up…

They didn’t break her, not Mom cus she's tougher than that.

But they really hurt her.

Family’s supposed to watch out for each other, protect each other…

But they didn’t, not when they were dealing with the loss of their Mother. When they couldn’t take the time to help my Mom…

… Family sticks together…

 


	2. Dealing

**_Warren, Michigan…_ **

Sam sat with his brother staring at the bar in the pre-dawn. All the lights were off, customers all gone and yet Dean hadn't moved to get out of the Impala. Neither spoke though it wasn’t needed when it was clear to both; Dean was nervous about going in there. He’d been back from Hell, was told God had work for him and then that same angel sent him back to the 70’s where he couldn’t do shit to save any of his family… They died, his grandparents and his Mom… she made a deal. Dean couldn’t understand it, what they were all willing to do for each other, because they loved each other. John had been right to say they were each others weakness.

“We can come back…” Sam put it out there, not sure if that would be the right thing to do but not knowing what else to do for Dean.

He was different.

Not good different but still different and Dean had reason to be since he'd suffered 40years in Hell…

Dean didn’t say anything, just opened the door and stepped into the cold break of day. He drew in a breath and blew it out making it fog. Sam followed, both doors closing loudly in the silence of morning. Still, Dean paused another moment before finally walking to the front of **_Luc’s,_** he fiddled with the keys in his hand, his thoughts scattered and latched onto the memory of coming here with a surprise for Jaden…

The door opened and Dean let them in, pausing again in the bar room while Sam closed the door behind them. Movement pulled his mind away from memories of working behind the bar and the ‘tiny’ fire he'd caused in the back, to the top of the stairs where he could see a shadow.

Sam looked as well, shaking off the tingling sensation pricking at his skin that was making him want to scratch. The soft growl kept him from taking another step, though he had his hand ready to grab the door if it came time to run.

“Barbie?” Dean called taking another step towards the shadow on the stairs. “Here, Barbie, come here boy.”

Barrabas cocked his head, ears raised in question and then he leapt down the stairs with a loud whoof as he dashed straight for Dean. Sam took a wary step back and watched his brother stumble under the dog’s weight. Barrabas slobbered his pink tongue where ever he could reach Dean’s face, ignoring the commands to stop or even sit.

“Quiet, damn it. You're gonna wake them all up.” Dean complained shoving on Barbie's snout and finally getting him to stop jumping up. “Come on, mutt. JD, find JD, boy.” That got another whoof followed by a whine and then Barbie took off, up the stairs as the brothers followed. He disappeared though quickly came back when they weren't fast enough for the excited mutt.

Dean knew Jaden wouldn’t be there and yet he slowed his steps in the hall. Sam wasn’t sure what his brother hesitated for but stayed at the top of the stairs and let him do this on his own.

Dean paused outside the door to their bedroom. It stood partly open- something Jaden never did, especially not at **_Luc’s_** because she said the guys were too damn nosy. He almost laughed at that but all he managed was a sort of smile.

He could hear noise on the other side of the door and rested his hand on the wood, head tilted as he listened. Intelligible mumbling and the definite jibberish of baby-speak. Barrabas came back, head butting against Dean's leg as if saying ‘Hey, get in here already!’ and then he clamped those jaws on his leg and tugged him into the room.

“Dammit, Barbie.” Dean gruffed with a wince as he felt the pinch of teeth on his skin. He was released almost immediately, with a soft whoof of reproach before Barrabas headed back towards the bed and hopped in with the occupants. Dean frowned, because there certainly was a large figure in the bed- _‘Our bed.’_ And he didn’t like the thought of anyone else sleeping there, not where he'd slept with his… with their son and Jaden.

The mumbling was still intelligible but the figure jerked and the baby-jibber stopped. A sandy head peeked up from the covers, hair sticking up at odd ends and a pair of intelligent green eyes stared right at him.

Dean couldn’t move.

He was worried that any move would frighten him, make him start screaming and tried a wobbly smile he hoped wouldn’t have the same effect.

“Hi, buddy.” His voice was a raspy whisper and he cleared his throat watching as JD sat up, hands resting on the figure keeping him from the edge of the high bed. Jaden had done the same thing; hated putting JD in the crib so they didn’t have one at **_Luc’s_** but then the plan had always been to stay at Pastor Jim's until JD was a bit older.

“Da!”

Dean jerked at the loud exclamation. Something inside him loosened just a bit and the anxiety he'd been shoving down began to give way. It left Dean feeling confused; sad, angry- crazy emotions he didn’t want to name and instead stepped to the edge of the bed, hands reaching for his son, eyes blurry and stinging.

It moved, the shape slowly twisting as it felt another presence in the room. Still, Sebastian just assumed it was Jack or Faith, maybe even Garth considering nothing bad had been able to make its way into **_Luc’s_** and thankfully none of the drunks had questioned the reason a couple of patrons had passed out in the entrance or seemed to have noticed the black smoke billowing out of their mouths just before.

“Hey!” he swung his arm out, closed fist meeting with hard flesh and rolled out of the bed cursing the fact he'd left the dagger with his jeans on the bench at the foot of the bed. Getting it meant leaving JD unprotected and that was the last thing Sebastian would do, so he faced off barehanded and grateful to have spent the last couple of years with Angel, Gunn and Ryan teaching him what they knew. He'd get his ass chewed out later for not going full strength.

Dean felt the breath leave his lungs and stumbled back from the bed, aware of JD shrieking “Bas!” and “Da!” over and over as he scrambled out of the covers tossed over his head.

“Who the fuck are you?”

Dean blinked, drew in a breath and straightened. That large bundle in the bed with his son was a kid- teenager to be precise and he scowled.

“Me?” Dean echoed and watched the kid tell JD to knock off his yelling. “That’s my son-.”

Noise from the hall had them both turning to the door where they heard more voices and Garth’s complaint to shut up cus he needed his beauty sleep.

“You’re not that pretty.” Faith retorted pushing through the half open door and into Jaden’s room. Dean’s eyes latched onto the battle ax she had in hand and arched an eyebrow at her. “So why isn't Barbie chewing on your ass?” she demanded. Hearing his name, Barrabas let out another bark and jumped off the bed to sit at Dean’s side. He was wagging his tail so hard his butt was rubbing on the hardwood floors.

“Da! Da! Da!” JD yelled as Sebastian picked him up.

“So,” Jack rubbed a hand over his face, hair sticking up and clearly unhappy about being woken when he'd only just gotten to bed. “J got you out of Hell.” He slipped his arm over Faith's shoulders and tugged her into his side. “And this is Dean.” He pointed to the blond Hunter looking from one person to another and wondering what the hell happened to his brother before staring at the Slayer still looking threatening in her little tank and shorts, the ax now loosely held from her crossed arms.

Dean wondered how that was possible because he remembered Buffy and the fact _she_ was the Slayer or was supposed to have been, even though she’d died once or had it been twice? He frowned, not sure what he'd been told by any of them; Jaden, Buffy, the Actives…

“PJ’s new hubby.” Faith uttered a little grunt, dark eyes looking him over though she hadn't been the only one to look through the album and box of pictures Jaden had left behind, before tilting her chin behind him. “Meet Bastian. PJ’s son.”

“Son…?” Dean jerked around, green eyes narrowing on the teenager but the resemblance was there. The kid had her eyes, same shade and shape and long lashes; the kid was pissed.

“Where is she?” Sebastian demanded, he didn’t let go of JD even though he kept reaching towards Dean. “You're here, so where the hell is my Mom?”

“Bas…” Faith sighed and shook her head slightly but Bastian wasn’t in the mood to listen. Jaden had been gone for weeks now; no contact, no sign at all that any of them were alive or well or anything and now ‘Dean’ was back-

_‘Dean's back!’_

Sebastian quickly rushed to the cell phone charging on the nightstand and hit his speed dial. The line rang and all he kept thinking was, they're all back. Because Dean was there and that meant his Mom had kept her promise and gotten everyone out of Hell- the Hyperion and Angel and his grandfather and everyone, they were all back, LA was back…

But the line kept ringing…

Dean could see it, the glint of anger in his eyes and the clenched jaw…the kid was a lot like Jaden and it made Dean feel the ache in his chest from her absence.

It hadn't come up.

Yet.

But Sam knew something was off with his brother. Just like Dean knew something had changed with Sam.

Dean couldn’t look away from them, how Sebastian wasn’t letting go of JD even though Jack was there. Sam quietly stood beside Garth at the door, observing.

“Bas-Bas?” JD patted a hand on his face, green eyes searching out his. Dean watched, fascinated with JD and how the hell could he pick up and understand what Sebastian was feeling? He didn’t want to think JD was more like Jaden- like the twins…

“What happened to them?” he turned to Dean who still hadn't spoken. “She was going to bring them all back, she promised! So why are you the only one here?”

“It wasn’t her.” Sam stood just in the door, that same soulful look in his eyes as he spoke but Sebastian wasn’t buying into it. Then again, if they started on the ‘angel pulled Dean from hell cus they have plans for him’… well, that wasn’t any easier to believe.

“Bullshit.” He snapped ignoring the sharp look from Jack for the curse. “My sister saw her cross the gates.”

“Sister…” Dean echoed and dropped his head on a heavy breath. He remembered that, the aborted conversation with Jaden about the twins and then… then he was pulled out of there, away from her.

“Yeah, sister. As in the twins she had with Ryan. Her husband.” Sebastian snapped.

“You need a time out, Sebastian.” Faith glowered, straightening under Jack’s arm. “You know that isn't the way things are, not how they were before she got dropped into the alternate timeline.”

“What?” Sam looked from one face to another, confused and out of the loop. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask for an explanation but he didn’t get the chance.

“Long story.” Jack sighed. “Look, its late- early, fuck. I need sleep.” He ran another hand over his face and started to pull Faith out of the room when he snagged Sam’s sleeve as well. “You can bunk with Garth and in the morning- _my_ morning, we can all get the details.”

“Jack, my Mom-.”

“Isn't here now.” Jack cut in with a slight glare. “There's a reason, Sebastian. Being pissed off isn't going to get you any answers either, so hand over JD and get to your room.”

“What?” Sebastian stood slack jawed for a moment before he snapped his mouth shut, jaw clenched and glaring at everyone, did as he was told. It was clear to everyone he didn’t want to hand over JD but his little arms latched onto Dean’s shirt and wouldn’t let go. “Traidor.” Bastian muttered as he walked past them and slammed the door behind him.

Dean was left alone with JD who picked up the jibber-speak. He wasn’t sure what to do, to say or if there was anything to say since JD probably wouldn’t know what the hell Dean was saying anyway.

“Hi.”

JD grabbed his nose in a small fist and smiled showing Dean the four teeth he'd grown.

 

**_Hell…_ **

“Move!” Jaden shoved Ryan’s reaching hand out of her way and headed up the stairs.

He frowned, hissing at the sharp pain shooting up his arm as he followed her progress up the stairs. It didn’t take a genius to figure there was something wrong, some reason she was pissed off and it wasn’t going to come out of her, that much he knew.

Jaden didn’t stop at the door of her suite, just pushed it open and off its hinges ignoring Gia’s shocked expression. Jaden tore off the door to her bedroom as well without a care as she moved towards the chest she kept under the bed. She yanked it out and pulled the lid open snapping the lock in the process but she didn’t care. Nothing mattered anymore but getting out of Hell and the answer had to be in her books.

“Phade?” Gia called from the door in a timid voice. She got no answer and glancing over her shoulder back towards the kitchen, she noticed Franco slowly get up from his chair and head into Bastian's room without a look to where his daughter was frantically tossing things about. He wasn’t speaking to Phade anymore, not after she walked away from him and Gia had no idea how to fix it. There was just too much they wouldn’t talk about and Phade was angry- too angry to just pretend everything was fine and dandy like she’d done before.

“Phade?” Gia tried again, hesitantly stepping into the room. “Habla con migo.” She tried another step, her voice hitching as she saw the look in Phade’s eyes; wild, frantic and the tears she wasn’t wiping away. “Please, talk to me?”

“Just leave me alone!” Jaden yelled because the last thing she wanted to do was talk about her feelings; couldn’t they all see them? Didn’t they see what she felt? Were they that blind too? “Vete!” she tossed the chair out of her way and kicked the bench at the foot of her bed, which broke off a leg. “I have to get out of here…have to-.” She yanked the closet doors open and pushed clothes out of her way, most of them falling to the floor when she broke the bar and that went flying over her shoulder too.

“What happened, Phade?” Gia retreated to the door, the safest spot she could think of still unwilling to leave her alone, to give up because it seemed like that’s all anyone ever did when it came to Phade. Hadn't Franco left her to fend for herself after his wife died? And when had Guy ever stood up to his sisters and brothers for the snide comments about Phade and her mental stability? There weren't many allies in Phade’s corner- hell, Gia could count them in one hand and that was not enough, not in her book.

Jaden let out another scream filled with frustration and anger then fell to her knees, another book in her hands that wasn’t of any use to her- not for what she wanted.

“Where’s Dean?” Gia questioned softly now that she noticed his continued absence.

 

**_Warren, Michigan…_ **

Coffee didn’t seem to make anything less coherent, even at 12noon. They'd all gathered at the bar, Garth behind it, absently rubbing a mug clean with his towel while Jack kept stacking the fridges with beers. Faith just sat at the end re-filling the salt and pepper shakers they'd put out on the tables in a few hours. Sam kept from fidgeting too much but it wasn’t easy when he kept wanting to scratch himself and now he was suffering from a soft buzzing in his ears. Sleep had not been his friend, hell he hadn't been able to sleep at all and Garth had grumbled about it before stuffing his head under his pillow and rolling up in his covers.

“Two.” It wasn’t easy for either Winchester to understand though Dean got why Jaden had no memory of the previous year with them in LA or of the Hyperion. It made sense, it did, but the how…

“They can do that?” Sam echoed Dean's thought, both men looking at the group assembled around the bar.

“They're Gods.” Sebastian retorted, he was grumpy and sullen and made no bones about it.

“She wasn’t toeing the line-.”

“We took care of it and that’s all they need to know.” Sebastian cut in. Garth blew out a breath and put his hands up, the towel hanging like a limp white flag of truce before he grabbed another mug and started wiping it.

Faith noticed the fidgeting ‘evil’ brother and gave Garth a slight nod.

“Anybody want a beer?” Garth pushed off the bar and filled up a mug each for Dean, Jack, Sam and Faith then pulled hers back out of reach. “Cranberry juice.” He turned away and spritzed some in a glass with ice and soda. “Drink up. Cus…shit.” He let out a breath and took a long gulp of the beer he’d been about to serve Faith. After what Dean and Sam had just told them, about Dean popping up in the middle of nowhere and… fucking _angels_!

Four sets of eyes watched as Sam and Dean took a drink from their beers. Still too damn early for alcohol and Sebastian rolled his eyes giving them all a ‘You're really checking?’ look. Even with the wards, they'd agreed it wouldn’t hurt to lace all the taps with holy water, just another precaution…

“Come on.” He exclaimed slapping both hands on the bar and drawing a slight frown from Dean. “Mom evil proofed **_Luc’s_** like she did the Hyperion.”

Dean jerked in his seat glancing at the adults while shifting his hold on JD who snuffled sleepily on his chest. He hadn't been able to put him down-unwilling to let go of the toddler, actually. It felt good to hold his son and this time there was no anxiety to ruin the moments he could spend with JD.

“She what?”

“Nothing evil gets in.” Sebastian repeated. “Mom made sure of it before she went looking for you in Hell.” There was accusation in his tone and Bastian didn’t care if it showed. He was mad, resented how easily Dean just walked in and took JD when it had been Sebastian there with his baby brother. “Demons came looking for him cus of you.” He glared at Sam though Bobby had explained that much to Dean. The fight at Pastor Jim’s place and after, about the Slayer and Jaden leaving right then and there to go get him. Bobby had told them about Ellen, Pastor Jim and Jo answering- about The Light and though they'd questioned Dean about his time in Hell, Dean had insisted he didn’t remember anything - Dean just didn’t want to talk about it. He couldn’t tell them what he'd done, how Jaden found him, of how much Dean needed her, how being with her helped put those memories out of his mind, helped him ignore what he'd done… but she wasn’t there.

Sam was.

“It’s not Sam’s fault-.”

“Are you fucking kidding right now?” Sebastian demanded getting up from his stool. “My Mom went to fetch your ass out of Hell. She left JD. You get it? _She left JD_ ,” but it wasn’t just JD he was pissed off about. It seemed like something was always more important or _someone_. “Mom left her kid behind- not that this is a first cus- you know what?” he shoved away from the bar and glared at Dean and Sam.“Fuck this. You're not taking JD out of here.”

“Whoa.” Dean glared, slowly getting to his feet in order not to jostle JD who was already stirring due to the loud voices. “Wait a damn minute.” He glared at Sebastian’s back as he moved past Jack and Garth behind the bar.

“Nah,” Sebastian shook his head already moving away from Dean and everyone else because apparently hewasn’t needed. It certainly felt as though no one was taking his side and why was he even surprised? His Mom hadn't thought twice about leaving them behind... “Enjoy your visit cus that’s all you're getting.”

“What the hell…” Dean took a step towards the back bar where Sebastian was already slamming the door. Faith stood, dark eyes on Sam and Dean before resting on JD.

“You aren't taking him.”

“He’s my son.” Dean chocked out, still too pissed off for more words. He didn’t get where it was his fault, why? Hell hadn't been bad enough now they were denying him access to JD?

“Yeah, not saying you aint got a right. Just that JD’s not leaving **_Luc’s_**.” Faith crossed her arms, expression scarily blank but Dean had no doubt she was dead serious he wasn’t walking out of there with his son. “PJ was real clear. I'm not pissing off a Fury.”

“Dean.” Sam gave a gentle tug on his shirt and after a moment Dean sat down again. “Look, we didn’t come here to take JD.”

Faith snorted, like she thought it was funny he was reassuring them of their intentions and just arched a dark eyebrow, waiting for him to get his platitudes out of the way.

“I wanted to see him.” Dean said, eyes once again on the sleeping boy in his arms. It felt good, holding JD- his little hand was clamped around the leather tie of his charm, a half smile on his little face.

“So, you're back for good then.” Jack tossed the empty box aside and leaned both hands on the bar, eyes on the wood that still shined like new thanks to the care they took. “God has plans for you and the angel didn’t say what. Great.” He blew out a breath setting the bangs to flop back into his eyes. There was plenty more the brothers weren't saying but Jack figured as long as JD was safe they could keep their secrets. All he had to worry about was J’s boys and it looked like Sebastian was in need of some more one on one with Faith in the basement. “What's the plan? Where do we come into this?” he looked from Dean to Sam and back.

“We need to be prepared.” Faith moved closer, taking the empty stool Sebastian had vacated and flicked a finger at JD’s arm. “PJ aint gonna be happy if I let anything happen to this guy. And I'm pretty sure you two got trouble hounding your heels so…” she gave a careless shrug, dark eyes once more on Dean and that was disconcerting. Slayer lore wasn’t in huge supply and what they'd learned was what Bobby had told them. A Slayer was called young and she didn’t live long but while she did she was all that kept the major evil back from humanity dreaming of sugar plum fairies and all that was nice.

Jaden had told them about it; Sunnydale had been on a HellMouth and Buffy had been the Slayer placed there. And then at **_Hunters_** , there'd been another one, a Slayer- Vala and at the time Dean had just assumed the one before had finally died and stayed that way. Except Buffy was in Hell with the others, she was there with the vampire that had a soul and so far everything he’d told Jaden had been confirmed but then she’d already had to have known that…

Dean just wasn’t sure what the hell to do anymore. He'd tried to change the past, tried to save his grandparents, help his Mom and Dad and … …. … what had he accomplished?

JD stirred, eyes popping open as he stretched. It was a funny sight and Dean felt his mouth tug into a smile just watching him. He’d missed an entire year with him… a lifetime-

What was the plan?

Dean was certain of one thing.

Nothing was going to touch JD so long as he stayed with Jack and Garth. Jaden had left them protected but he had that nagging worry in the back of his mind. What if her shields started to fail like they had for the Hyperion in Hell? So what there was a Slayer on guard and apparently Sebastian wasn’t to be counted out just because he was still a kid. Dean just had no idea what the hell kind of help the kid would be even if he did sport one of those runes like Jaden. Sebastian was one of them, something like Aquilles or the twins…Dean didn’t know and he wasn’t asking for details. He doubted there'd be any answers for him and Jaden had told him enough already. There was a war coming, different than what the Hunters were facing and eventually she’d have to go. Jaden hadn't said anything but Dean knew. They were all going to fight; Jaden, Sebastian, those twins and the rest…… Dean stared down at his son, fingers slightly curling into his little body.

_‘He's only a baby…’_

Sebastian was just as kid as well but…….

No… JD wasn’t leaving **_Luc’s_**.

 

**_Sebastian…_ **

Hasn’t been that long. He didn’t stay too long either, got a call from Bobby asking them for help and they just took off.

That easy.

Why the fuck is it so easy?

Mom and Dean… man, they are so made for each other.

End of the world shit, yeah, so they have reason, too good a reason to run out on us…

I almost caved and offered to help them. Almost.

Fuckers can do for themselves, not like they need anyone else cus it’s all about them two. Sam and Dean.

Valkyrie gets it. She didn’t want to say anything nice about Dean since she’s still on the ‘my parents are getting back together’ dream.

Right.

Cus that worked out well for Mom and _my_ Dad. Even having JD in her arms doesn’t seem to make any difference to Valkyrie. She's stubborn.

Jericho… damn it, he actually has a level head, which makes me thinks he's more like Ryan than Mom cus Mom… nah, she's not the type to put up with excuses- cus that’s what she considers explanations to be. Says she’d rather hear you take responsibility and move on, of course she doesn’t like repeats either so…

But Jeri took their side, Sam and Dean. He says he gets it cus he'd do the same if it was Valkyrie in Sam’s place. Hell, he’d make a deal with a God if it meant getting her back should anything ever happen to her. Sure hope little brother isn't that stupid but… you know, maybe he’s a little more like Mom than I thought.

… … these headaches … its getting worse.

I'm getting worse.

Its just those fucking dreams-

I'm there but I cant do anything to help them and I still try. This is why Mom wanted me to go with the others. But I didn’t want to leave. If it weren't for Kast … I really thought I was going crazy at first. And I didn’t want to tell anyone because I thought they'd be afraid I’d hurt someone now that I'm super-kid-strong. Good thing I couldn’t hide it from Valkyrie … la mitotera.

JD helps. With the headaches and the pain and the dreams…

I don’t know why but he does.

So Dean taking over Mom's room and keeping JD at night… yeah that really pissed me off cus I had no buffer. JD wasn’t there to do … whatever the fuck it is he does that makes the nightmares- those wars… they're all dead. I felt them die. I _feel_ everything they ever felt, their experiences, their happiness, pain… its all mine and I'm fucking tired- I'm just, I'm tired man.

I'm 15, barely and I know more than anyone… I've got a shit load of ancients in my head, separate and yet mine –

Did Mom know what she was getting into?

Did she know and… and do that to me?

Did she do this to me….


	3. We Answer

**_Denver, Colorado…_ **

Quiet.

At least for the last three hours it was all silence; no TV, no radio, no one to bother him.

The call from Vala, the StarCity Slayer, had been unexpected and what she said… Los Angeles in Hell? Guy didn’t want to believe it at first- how could he when they'd said his sister was dead and obviously wasn’t… But Vala said it was true- they were sure and Guy wasn’t having any luck getting in touch with Gia, with anyone at the Hyperion… No one was answering-

But PJ was there, Vala said Buffy had gone along too, to try and rescue all of LA- ha!

_‘Rescue LA…’_

He couldn’t laugh. It sounded outrageous but he couldn’t manage a laugh- Phade was alive and she was in Hell- voluntarily went to Hell… It wasn’t the easiest thing to wrap his brain around because all he kept thinking of was the miserable year he’d spent with her in Catechism and all those Sunday school hours spent being told about sinners writhing in the flames of Hell…

They were all in Hell; Gia and his Dad. His brother Luis and Ryan… all those girls Gia had told him of now living at the Hyperion- activated slayers… and now his sister was there as well with Buffy and how hard would it have been for Phade to pick up the damn phone and leave him a message just to say ‘Hey’?

Two years with no word from her and he's finding out second hand that she's made a new life for herself-

“Hell.”

Yeah, it was the one thing he couldn’t ignore even if he tried. He wasn’t about to sit on his ass any longer, he couldn’t just let everything he'd learned to be true, all he'd seen with Angel and PJ and the rest of them… Wes died, Fred became a shell for that old Hell God, Cordelia- not that Guy had ever said anything to her, he hadn't liked her much anyway- was dead or a higher being, whatever. Sometimes Gia didn’t make much sense but the point was a lot of good people had been lost, people around his sister…

_‘Mom… Aunt Eve…’_

It wasn’t fair to think it was Phade’s fault, she’d been a kid- what the hell was she supposed to do in that situation?

Guy remembered that night- the last time he saw his Mother before everything was screwed up…

 

_“Pareces viejita, Guy.” Phade tease coming around and tugging on the lace edging the flowered apron he was wearing._

_He glared at her and she laughed flicking her finger at his nose. Guy smacked her hand and though she yelped, Phade didn’t loose her grin._

_“Hay que sentida. Le digo a papi que ya tiene otra niña-?”_

_“Que no soy vieja!” Guy yelled flinging soapy water at her. She managed to duck most of it when he noticed their Mom standing at the kitchen arch._

_Evangelina sighed but didn't really mind her children's so called 'bickering'._

_"No soy vieja." Guy stated._ _Evangelina stifled her laugh seeing her baby boy stand, hands on his waist glaring at his sister and wearing the flower printed apron with frills she kept hung on the peg behind the back patio door._

_"Uh-huh." Phade giggled again._

_"Dejalo en paz." Evangelina ordered with a serious look._

_"Yeah, quit bugging me." Guy echoed feeling more confident now that their Mother was on his side. He still wasn’t sure his Mom hadn't smiled but…_

_"But you do look pretty." Phade teased. "All's you're missing is the pink bow and some trencitas." She ruffled his silky hair and got her hand smacked for her trouble._

_"Ma!" Phade whined holding her 'injured' hand and frowning. Guy knew it was all fake but his sister could work those big brown eyes of hers so he opened his mouth to protest._

_"Te dije que lo dejez en paz."_ _Evangelina repeated. Guy looked at his Mom in surprise before he grinned at his sister. "Es mas, tu me vas a llevar."_

_"What? Why-!" Guy protested hearing that because Phade was supposed to help him put the rest of the dishes away. One look at his Mom and Guy quieted down._

_"Y tu, terminas esos trastes."_

_Guy huffed, glanced at his sister who was grinning and somehow had managed to get out of dish duty._

_"Yeah, don't leave any food on the plates or grease on the cups." Phade added as she followed her Mother out of the kitchen._

_"Bien lavados, Guy." Evangelina called over her shoulder hearing the jingle of car keys in Phade's hand. She sighed knowing her daughter was taunting her little brother. Guy glowered at the soapy water and stack of diner dishes still left._

 

She’d been trying not to laugh and Guy had to admit, that flower apron would make anyone bust a gut…

“This time we’re doing it different.”

Because Guy wasn’t waiting around for his sister to rescue them all.

The book was in his trunk, wrapped in a shirt and Guy felt no guilt over taking it from Phade’s apartment. He would deal with Phade bitching at him for taking it if she found out it was missing from her closet. He’d read it front to back and studied the page with runes. He knew what she did, _why_ she did it in the first place and figured maybe she hadn't been so selfish after all. Years of hiding what she knew to be the truth and seeing it out there… pretending the world was just like Dad said it was; normal…

“Crazy ass…” he muttered opening it on the table. He didn’t have the ingredients, wasn’t prepared because he hadn't thought to ever go as far his sister. But Phade was pig headed, stubborn- una mula, because nothing was going to keep her from trying to change shit that wasn’t her fault in the first place. And thanks Dad, for making her feel like there was something to prove…

“Just a little bit.”

Guy jumped at the sound of her voice and scowled.

“Mom says you get wrinkles like that.” Valkyrie pointed out, wiggling her finger at his face.

“One of these times, Val…” Guy grumbled though it didn’t wipe off the little smirk on her face. Right then, Guy had no doubts this girl was his niece no matter that she looked more like a little sister…

“Aww, you're gonna plug me full of bullet holes, Uncle G?” she chuckled because it wouldn’t be the first time he'd threatened her with it. Her eyes rested on the open book behind him, recognizing it. She walked towards it, hand touching the pages as she slid it closer to her. Guy said nothing, he figured his intentions were loud and clear.

“LA got sucked into Hell.” He bit out when Valkyrie just stared at the book, lightly flipping through the pages. She gave no sign that she was aware of his intentions, no move to announce her preference over his choice.

“You know…” Valkyrie sighed, shook her head but what was the point in getting upset at the Slayers for tattling? At least this time they’d gotten their information correct.

“ _You_ knew about this?” Guy glared down at her. “You knew they were-.”

“Mom is taking care of it.” She cut in. “I'm sure she's got it all under control and besides, Buffy went and Aquilles so at least Mom won't be hurt- well, too much anyway.” She amended because there was always the definite chance any of them would be hurt. It was just a given considering who they were and their purpose.

“Too much-.” Guy drew in a sharp breath and willed himself not to lose his cool. “How did she- how-?” he scowled at her because Valkyrie knew exactly what he was trying to ask, what he wanted.

“You can't.” Valkyrie sighed with a slight eye roll.

“Don’t tell me can't, damn it!” Guy yelled as his fist slammed on the table. “PJ got this shit- said there weren't many of your Guardians and if this was good enough for her then its time I got a piece.”

He wasn’t doing it out of some need to do good, to help win the war, to keep a balance so The Light would endure, so the Others would fail in this latest attempt at wiping out the blight humanity was to _their_ idea of what The Light needed…

“You sure about this?” Valkyrie knew exactly what was waiting for him and she knew what her Mom would want but while she was in Hell there wasn’t anything to stop Guy from answering The Light. Guardians were in short supply and time was running out rather fast. He wasn’t the first male in their family to answer and that was something her Mom wasn’t going to like. But they all thought the same thing; why was it ok for her and not them?

Wasn’t it their choice to make?

“Yes.” Guy wasn’t backing down, he wasn’t going to change his mind or ask for a do over. He knew what he was doing and getting Gia back meant he had to become something else. Something more than just your run of the mill dude. He picked a job as far from what his brothers and Father did for a living. Answering The Light … hell, he figured that couldn’t be any worse than what he was doing now.

“I guess it was always meant to be.” Valkyrie sighed as she took his hand in hers.

 

 

**_Hell…_ **

Angel looked around at the faces in the lobby, refugees from the streets…… some of them had avoided the war with the Demon Lords, others clearly wore the battle scars. Buffy moved down into the lobby, her eyes picking out the Actives peppered among the civilians. She’d lost more than a few girls and yet there were still plenty of them left to form a strong force should any demons want another lesson in ‘how to get your ass handed to you by a Slayer’.

“Phade?” Angel turned towards the stairs where Ryan jerked his chin. The bottle in his hand was definitely lighter and Ryan didn’t look too steady on his feet. Still, Ryan wasn’t about to keel over- well, he might fall over so Angel helped him into a chair before starting up the stairs.

He could hear her, half way up to the second floor and Angel could hear her throwing things, screaming and muttering to herself. Whatever that thing had been- it took the human, took Dean… Angel knew what it was like, what Hell could do to any of them and the rage would build, filled up every bit of space in a body. It got to the point where it was all rage and pain; made you more animal than human… it was easier to reach that point for the hybrids, the non-humans. Having Dean… it kept Phade grounded, suppressed the rage he could see and now… … now there wasn’t any Dean to keep Phade in line and Angel’s concern for her, the same as he’d had for her when he found out about the runes and the ease with which she could get information- she wasn’t above hurting the ‘bad guys’ but then she’d had Sebastian to reign her in. There was no one to remind her she wasn’t _just_ a Fury.

What was going to hold her back now?

He saw right away the door was un-hinged but even so it wouldn’t have barred him from entering since she had invited him in before. Of course, he wasn’t a vampire either so the rules didn’t apply to him anymore. Angel walked in, glanced towards the kitchen and the closed door to Sebastian's room then continued past the living room towards Phade and Gia who stood just a little to her right and behind.

“Phade.” Angel noted Gia's surprise at his presence but it only took her a moment before deciding to leave them alone. She slipped past Angel with just a quick look at him and a light touch on his arm before she moved on.

Phade said nothing but it didn’t deter Angel and he moved closer.

“Don’t let the rage control you.”still she ignored him. Angel moved around her, past the clothes on the floor and moving the broken length of wood further out of her immediate reach. He wouldn’t turn to dust from one of those but they'd hurt like a bitch and then he’d die… because the runes didn’t protect against that. “We’ll get back- out of Hell, Phade.” He knelt in front of her, carefully tugged the book out of her hands and closed it setting it aside. “This won't help you.”

“I can't do this again, Angel.” Her voice broke, fresh tears burning her eyes. She leaned forward, head resting on Angel as she cried. He wasn’t sure what she meant, but he remembered how she’d been after Sebastian had been taken away. Her silence had concerned him at the time, it wasn’t _her_ but this… there was desperation and Angel knew what that felt like.

“You're not alone.” He placed a warm hand on her back and another on her head and just sat there in silence while she cried.

 

**_Hë'lîa…_ **

Jericholed them into the huge marble building. Raudel craned his head back as far as he could just to get a look at the towering pillars he didn’t think could be strong enough to hold up the domed roof. Thomas nudge him none too gently and Tim lent a steadying hand when Raudel bumped into him.

“Puto, no te puedes comportar.” Raudel hissed under his breath as he straightened.

“You're both embarrassing me so nock it off.” Tim ordered but the normal teasing between cousins didn’t make either of them feel any less nervous about where they were or what they’d agreed to.

“Having second thoughts?” Thomas looked from Tim to Raudel. It was clear they were all hesitant about what they’d agreed to now that they'd seen Hë'lîa and the other Guardians. It seemed easy enough to dismiss what Valkyrie and Jericho explained; about what Jaden was, what they could all do…

_“Fire wielding super heroes, right.”_

Valkyrie had shut them up quick with a little pyrotechnics- just a little something Jaden had entertained them with as children. And their cousin was in Hell along with the rest of Los Angeles attempting to rescue the entire city just as soon as she could find Dean… Of course Thomas had to explain how Dean had ended up in Hell in the first place and Tim had always known the brothers were bad news. Hadn't he told Jaden the same thing from the very start?

“Mom says you get wrinkles like that.” Jericho noted in his slightly bored tone. “Not that it’s gonna be a problem once you're a Guardian.”

“I thought we were.” Tim protested because he sure as hell felt the sting of his mark. Jericho shook his head, smiling.

“That was just so you can keep up with your teachers.” He pointed over his shoulder where the three could see a huge circular training area. It wasn’t empty and as they looked on saw that the men weren't wearing a lot of clothes…

“Uhm… so what…?” Thomas pointed to where he saw two men wrestling, both covered in sand and then one ended in a painful hold, his arm at an angle Thomas _knew_ wasn’t possible.

“Don’t worry.” Jericho shrugged as a black clad man stepped onto the sand and ran a hand over the arm while holding him steady by his shoulder. “There’s always two Guardians here to heal any broken bones or deep gashes.”

“What?” Raudel was staring intently as the Guardians hands glowed blue then faded and the arm was once more in its proper place. He stepped back and the pair continued as if nothing had happened.

“You’ll start with basics. It’s always easier for some reason. Once you get the hang of your new abilities we’ll test your limits- that’s where we usually find out if you've got an element as well but that’s rare so don’t stress over it.” Jericho waved in greeting as a third black clad man rounded the training area and approached them. “Kast has training duties for the next… how long was it again?” he called over his shoulder as Kast climbed the three steps to where they stood.

“Too long.” He sighed. “More family.” He passed an assessing eye over the three men.

“Cousins.” Jericho nodded.

“Phade doesn’t know.” Kast commented eyeing them intently.

“No.” Jericho replied in a tone just a little subdued from his earlier teasing and the cousins looked at one another.

“Wonderful.” Kast grinned. “I look forward to pissing her off. Come on children, we have a lot of work to do before she comes to threaten me with a ‘Bobbit’.”

Jericho snorted and waved them on nodding. “Yeah, we all know about Mrs. Bobbit. Mom had a hard time getting along with Kast in the beginning. But I think they like each other-or rather Mom doesn’t want to kill him all the time now.”

“Kill?” Tim echoed as he followed Thomas with Raudel into the training area.

“Try not to whine!” Jericho called after them. “It only makes them hurt you more!”

“Que dijo?” Raudel exclaimed as he stopped, alarmed.

“Its true.” Kast assured. “Any complaints and we double up on the pain.” He spared them a glance over his shoulder before stepping onto the sand. “Because the enemy will just kill you.”

 

**_Interstate 107…_ **

Dean was having a hard time keeping quiet about what he saw- what Sam _did_ …

No, there was no denying any of the lies and all through their last Hunt with the rugaru… the comments- Dean had given Sam plenty of opportunity to come clean.

“Where to now?”

Dean cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, eyes never leaving the road.

“ ** _Luc’s._** ” because Dean needed to see him again. It had been over a month- too much time and though staying away from JD was probably the smarter choice he just couldn’t do it.

“Dean,” Sam looked at his brother, the twitch in his jaw was warning enough but he wasn’t going to just sit there without saying anything. “You think that’s-.”

“You can stay with Bobby if you want or I’ll drop you at a hotel in **_Warren_** **.** Either way, I'm going to spend a few days with my son.”

Sam blinked. Dean was giving him an option; not much of one in Sam’s opinion and that rankled. He kept his mouth shut and stared at the road. They were supposed to be preventing the seals from being broken, there was a whole lot more out there than before and most of the evil things wanted a piece of them…

_‘Fine. I’ll suffer through the fucking itching one night. That’s it, that’s all and then we hit the road.’_

Sam figured one night would be enough. Sebastian wouldn’t make staying longer than that pleasant for Dean. He could count on the kid to run them out before Sam went nuts thanks to the shield Phade had set up in the bar.

_“Mom evil proofed **Luc’s.”**_

Sam was trying hard not to think about that, the extra measures taken to protect the kids…

_‘Evil…’_

How many times had Dean told her and anyone who’d listen Sam wasn’t evil?

 

**_Hell…_ **

Ryan wasn’t going to give up. He'd said as much to Jericho and Valkyrie though Phade wasn’t making it any easier and no excuse was ever going to be good enough to explain Jessica. Again, he wished it had never happened.

“If wishes were horses…” he mumbled.

“Talking to yourself again?” Gia questioned as she came back to the suite. Beds were scarce at the Hyperion with all the added guests and Franco had given up the Winchester suite to another family months before Phade had arrived. Ryan was sleeping on the couch, Franco was in Sebastian's room and Gia had taken the bedroom considering Phade hadn't vacated the single room she’d been staying in with Dean when they first showed up.

“Can't blame me.” Ryan leaned forward, arms resting on his knees and stared at the hardwood floors. How many times had Phade mentioned hating carpets?

“She can't keep avoiding you.” Gia patted his back as she walked past. “Its not that big a hotel and right now, Phade’s pissing off Jo cus apparently she's not trying hard enough to ‘remember’ how to get us out of hell.”

Ryan sat up, eyes on Gia before she disappeared into the bedroom then he was on his feet and out the door. The past few weeks Phade had been hounding Jo and Aquilles, never far from either of them with the same goal; get out of hell. Anytime Ryan tried talking to her, to get her alone she dodged him, avoided him or ignored him.

“Not this time.” he vowed skipping downstairs and heading towards the basement.

“Pool area.” Nereidá pointed without raising her eyes out of the book she was reading. Ryan changed direction without a word though he scowled; apparently everyone had noticed the cat & mouse game he and Phade had been playing. Bad enough was looking like a whipped dog always dragging after her but she didn’t even give him a second of her precious time! And it wasn’t like she had that little shit glued to her side anymore.

_‘Fucking angels.’_

Gia still couldn’t believe it. Ryan was trying to get used to that as well; that Phade- her family, all of them came from an angel…

“People are getting sick, I think that takes-.”

“Find those memories, Jo.”

“I get it! You want out so you can be with Dean-.”

“Yes! I want out of here so bad I’d go sell my soul if that’s all it would take but for once I'm not focusing on what I want!”

“She means to say the sick will suffer less once we rise from this Hell dimension.” Aquilles intervened, recognizing the look and sound of his Fury.

“God! I don’t know! Alright, I just…”

“Do something.” Jaden ordered her Guardian who stood by mostly watching the argument they were having.

Ryan walked into the pool area where the trio was arguing. He found Aquilles between the women, Phade glaring at him, hand pointed at Jo who looked ready to snap it off.

“Like what?”

“Use your damn ‘charm’ to get what I need!” her voice echoed in the pool area. The unvoiced reminder of how well his ‘charm’ had worked on her rankled them both because she had not been easy for him.

“Since it worked so well with you…”

Phade was silent, Aquilles words reminding her of the years she spent with him, being ‘charmed’ by him and the reason she’d let herself become one more conquest of the legendary hero. He had served as her rebound guy, made her feel special when she’d felt a failure, when she’d been feeling sorry for herself. For the second time in her life, Phade had been made a fool of and she’d thought Ryan was different but men were men in any time, any place of any race.

“Find a solution.” Phade snapped. She was trying hard not to let anger win because even though it would feel really good to beat on Aquilles and the fucking smug ass smirk on his face…Angel was right. She couldn’t give in to rage because it wasn’t going to make those feelings go away.

“With him?”

Phade drew in a sharp breath, eyes closing briefly hearing Ryan. Apparently he'dcaught Aquilles comment as well and he was still insistent on ‘charming’ her back.

“So let’s get this right,” he stomped towards them, eyes on Phade as he resisted the urge to punch the Guardian. “You're pissed at me for Jes-.”

“Necio!” Phade turned to him, eyes flickering with flames. “How many times do you need to hear it?”

“I thought you were dead!” Ryan yelled. “Faith as much as said it! But you, you were what? Huh? How long did it take you-.”

“A lot longer than it took for you to fuck her.” Phade cut in, her tone cold. “You're like this-this, Gods!” she threw her hands up; exasperated at having to go over the same thing once again when it didn’t matter to her anymore. “I've tried, I've been patient and I get whatever this is has been-.”

“Hell, Phade.” He drew in a breath, glaring at Aquilles who took Jo by her hand and headed for the exit. “You were gone and I -.”

“Dealt. I got that.” She took a step back from him but Ryan persisted and gripped her arms lightly. “Ryan-.” She warned, forcing herself not to yank her arms out of his hands. She was trying to keep her cool but Jaden wasn’t having an easy time of it.

“I just-. Stop running from me Phade. Stop ignoring me and…” he felt her distance; it was there in her eyes, though Ryan refused to accept it.

“You're a good man.” Phade admitted with little shake of her head and nothing more in her tone to give Ryan hope that he was getting through. The time with him had been good, he’d done nothing to make her question his feelings for her or Sebastian and she had loved him. _Then_.

“Don’t give me the brush off.”

“I'm not her.” Jaden stated. She didn’t know how else to say it, or even what else needed to be done to get Ryan to back off.

“Fucking look like my wife.” Ryan frowned.

“Listen, just try and understand.” Phade shrugged out of his hold and placed her hands on his wrists to keep him from reaching for her again. “This…where the powers put me, what they did-.”

“I know that." Ryan cut in only to be pushed back by her. "The kids explained it to me.”

“Two.” She raised her hand, palm on his chest when he took another step towards her. “I've had two timelines with memories and feelings… I'm whole. Now, but for a while there was two different me’s up here.” She swirled a finger at her temple. “The powers plucked me out of this timeline and dropped me in the other. I had no memory of you or of anything here-.”

“But you're fine now, you're back-.”

“I am _not_ your wife.” Phade stated once again. “I _do not_ belong with you.”

There was along silence, Phade staring at him and Ryan trying to think of something that would change her mind, make her see they could still fix it and be happy, they had ties to each other, too many things in common for it just to be over.

“You're my wife.”

Phade shook her head, dropped her hand from his chest and stepped back. He didn’t want to accept there was nothing he could do. Gunn had done his job.

“I chose him.”

Ryan shook his head.

“Before you ever came into my life…” back when she’d been just a girl. A new town, a new school and the gorgeous guy that came and left as quickly as he’d shown up that first day, but he’d made an impression. “It was always Dean.”

“You came here for him.” Ryan spit out.

She nodded, had said as much the moment they arrived in the Hyperion. He was beginning to see that no matter how stubbornly he clung to the idea that he'd somehow _make_ Phade remember… she did. Everything. All the good; childhood memories of getting in trouble with her brothers, holidays spent with family, summers at the ranch with her cousin or with her grandmother, meeting Ryan and his group of Hunters, being accepted and for once in her life fitting in…

And all the bad; her aunt’s death, her Mother's murder, loosing Sebastian, having to ignore the things she was told weren't real, never talking about the things that should've been said and her Father…

It was that life Phade didn’t want. It wasn’t going to be hers anymore; hiding the hurt feelings, the years she was made to keep silent and now that it was all out in the open never hearing Franco admit that maybe, just maybe he’d been too harsh…

“He's gone.” Ryan didn’t miss the slight tilt of her chin. He wanted to ignore the hurt shining from her eyes but it was there all the same.

“I won't be far behind him.” Phade wasn’t going to stay, not without Dean.

“How?” Ryan protested. “We’ve been here more than just a few months, Phade. It could be as much as a year or two up there, I don’t fucking know-!.”

“Jaden.”

Ryan paused, brow furrowed.

“I'm Jaden.” She walked past him, towards the exit. There was nothing else to say.

 

**_Ireland_ ** **_, NWC…_ **

Giles wiped his glasses yet again, not a word had been said since Willow imparted the news to him ten minutes past. She sat in the comfortable arm chair bursting with impatient glee though remained blessedly silent. It was taking him that long to accept the news just because of _whom_ it referred to.

“With child.”

Willow nodded, her smile growing bigger as he replaced his glasses and finally looked at her.

“Faith.”

Again, more nodding followed by Willow resting both hands on his desk.

“Faith.”

“Yup! Garth spilled.” She laughed remembering how fast Faith jumped out of her seat threatening him for having loose lips. Jack had taken her seat shrugging off any concern for his friend and chatting. “She wasn’t going to say anything but they're both happy, well… Jack is happy. I didn’t get to talk to Faith after. Jack had to rescue Garth. But we can go, right? I mean Xander is still in StarCity with Vala and we’re not getting anything on her search for the prophecy book so we can spare a few days just to drop in to congratulate them.” She drew in a needed breath while Giles finished processing everything she’d said.

“Right,” he nodded slowly. There wasn’t any reason not to make the trip… except that Buffy was in Hell; there was no Slayer to stand in her place which is why Willow had remained at the castle. “Who did you have in mindas-.”

“Babysitter?” Willow interrupted. Her cheeks flushed a rosy shade and she shrugged.

“Someone the other Actives don’t have a problem taking orders from.” Giles admonished before she could utter the name undoubtedly on her lips. “The last thing we need is more trouble and from within our own ranks.”

“Braeda, then. She’s well liked, hasn’t made any trouble and seems to always find the non-violent solution to most squabbles in the dorms.”

Giles sat back in his chair eyeing Willow. In the last few years they'd all changed but he still felt the same towards the trio. Buffy, Xander and Willow…

“Right then, send Braeda to me and congratulate Faith on my behalf.” Giles straightened, once more at his computer and the hours of ‘paperwork’ yet to complete. There was no point in dwelling on the past and his regrets. There was too much at stake and trouble no doubt would reach them sooner rather than later. The last attempt to wipe out the Slayer line had almost succeeded. After the things Giles had made Faith do- killing Lady Genevieve …  because he was trying to protect Buffy yet again…

Staying in **_Warren_** had been the best thing for her. Faith deserved some happiness.

“Yay! She’s not expecting us.” Willow jumped up from her seat and hurried out of his office leaving Giles smiling in her wake.

Some things didn’t change even with everything they'd lived.

 


	4. Same Shit, New Shit, All Shit!

**_Hell…_ **

Gia was not blind, she saw the sick- people growing weak and there was only so much the ‘heroes’ could do to fix it. She’d overheard Aquilles arguing with Phade, yet again. But this time the Guardian had been blunt, almost cruel; a lot of people were going to die before Jo found the answer Phade demanded of them each day. He’d blamed her, for her pride and her anger at how she’d been treated. Gia understood that Phade was angry… what Gia _didn’t_ understand and wasn’t about to repeat to _anyone_ was Phade’s hesitance in _helping_.

She banged on the door to Phade’s room, paused a breath then banged on it again.

“Abre la puerta!” she ordered, ready to start kicking if that’s what it took. Nereidá had given her some pointers on how to do it in a way that minimized her own pain because kicking down a door actually did hurt no matter what they showed you on TV.

The door opened suddenly. Phade was smart enough to stand off to the side as Gia nearly fell in.

“You knocked?”

Gia straightened, short breath puffing out and blowing her bangs out of her eyes.

“Your Dad is old.”

Jaden blinked. She knew how old he was but apparently Gia felt the reminder was important.

“He’s a man.”

Again, that wasn’t something Jaden hadn't noticed in the 18 years she’d lived with Franco Vartan. Still, Jaden figured Gia would get to the point sooner without interruption.

“You can't be so dumb as to not see men are incapable of admitting they're wrong.” Gia huffed once more ignoring Phade’s slight glare. “ _Ever_.”

“Skip to the end.” Jaden ordered sharply. She wasn’t about to stand there and listen to a lecture on how she was being a bad daughter.

“You can help him. I heard Aquilles. I know.” Gia said hurriedly as Phade opened her mouth to speak. “Estas actuando como niña berrinchuda y cuando todo este dicho y hecho te vas arrepentir.”

Jaden had already come to that realization. She didn’t want more regrets but it was harder to get over her Father's choice than it had been to forget about Ryan and his cheating. They were two different things entirely but the result had been the same.

Jaden was hurt.

“I can't help him.” Jaden admitted. She didn’t know how to stop people from aging while Jo remembered the way out of Hell. Her Father looked so damn frail and having Luis choose to become a Guardian had taken its toll on the old man. He’d had another ‘episode’ when he found out and of course the blame had been placed on Phade. Because if it weren't for her, Luis would never have known about it.

Gia sucked in a breath; Phade wasn’tgoing to help.

“What kind of -?”

“Gia-.”

“He’s YOUR DAD!” Gia shoved her. She didn’t think twice about what she was doing because this was their Father and Guy wasn’t going to be happy with Phade. “Sea lo que sea el te crio! Guy loves him and so do you! Shut up!” she pushed again and wasn’t about to stop. If she had to knock some sense into her sister-in-law well, she’d been training with the Actives.

Jaden glared and grabbed at Gia's arm pushing her face first into the wall being careful not to hurt her though it was tempting.

“Cuando te canses de gritar me avisas.”Jaden gave Gia a couple seconds to screech about the unfairness of super strength against her own frail human strength but Jaden didn’t see how it was fair either. Gia was taking advantage of the fact Jaden had to hold back.

“Fine, go ahead. Lie your ass off.” Gia glowered trying to look over her shoulder.

“Listen good, when I said I couldn’t help I just meant _I_ can't help him.” Jaden pushed off letting go.

“What?” Gia turned, frowning.

“Everyone falls into a category, Gia. You and a lot of those people are Earth.” Jaden pointed at herself. “I'm Fire. And Water.” That was accompanied by an eye roll. “Aquilles is Air so the majority of the population can get branded; same as I did to Angel.”

“You mean, with that rune…but-.”

“No buts, Gia. I'm the only Fury and Aquilles the only Guardian, aside from Luis. There might be a demon out there who could probably work some voodoo-hoodoo shit and I'm positive no amount of ‘persuasion’ is going to make him help us. This is Hell. We annihilated their Demon Lords… If Jo can't find the ‘yellow brick road’…” Jaden sighed and slumped back onto her bed. She wanted to help Franco- no matter what he'd done he was till her Father but Jaden had no control over the elements other than her own. She was useless to him and all those people of the Earth sign.

Gia just stared. The answer was right there but no one was pointing it out.

“How the fuck are you so stupid?”

Jaden’s head snapped up, eyes flashing copper-gold.

“I'm _Earth_ , babosa.” Gia exclaimed. “Make me a Fury.”

 

**_StarCity…_ **

“Okay,” Jade strode into the library where Willow had a group of Actives with the witchy talent practicing an easy levitation spell. Most of them had their feathers floating about nose level while the rest fluttered about a few inches off the floor.

“You're fast.” Xander noted. He set the book down as Willow left the circle and perched on the arm of his chair.

“I'm awesome.” Jade corrected. “You leave at 6 so that gives you two hours to get your butts on the plane _and_ …” she smiled opening a sheet and showing it to them. “Make sure you stop to pick up the somethin’-somethin’ we just purchased for Faith and baby.”

“Ooh, presents!” Willow grinned.

“We’re taking all that with us on the plane?” Xander wasn’t looking forward to all the carrying he was going to do.

“Of course not. You pick this up from the store in **_Warren_**. Really,” Jade scoffed. “I think your patch is on a little tight there, Capt. Fury.”

“Hey, you weren't specific.” Xander defended.

“Too bad Vala isn't going.” Willow pouted slightly but there was a lot to finish before the ‘school’ was actually done.

“Yeah, well. Vala needs a break considering she's ready to maim Oliver Queen.” Jade sighed.

“I've never met a woman who doesn’t like flowers.” Xander commented.

“Or chocolates.” Jade added. “Though I know she likes chocolate.”

“He does it on purpose.” Xander chuckled because Queen was effectively out of her reach while Giles kept him around.

“Well, she’s been praying to run into GreenArrow because _him_ she's gonna hurt.” Jade leaned closer to them, eyes skipping to the girls still floating feathers before lowering her voice. “This last time he butted in; bought the Actives some breathing room but he screwed up, Vala got tossed around because he tried to help her out. She's looking for payback and I'm seriously considering putting out some type of smoke signal to warn him.”

Willow laughed and Xander found it funny as well but he'd heard Vala grumbling to herself about ‘PeterPan’ a few times.

“I think warning the Actives to get him out of Vala’s reach is all it’ll take.” Xander assured almost positive that was enough to keep the green clad hero safely breathing a few more days if he crossed paths with their lost Slayer.

“Okay, well let’s go. Teleporting isn't easy.” Willow said, standing, thankful they would be using an airplane for the next leg of their trip.

“Packed you a carry on.” Jade called to them. “Yuma’s driving!”

 

**_Sebastian…_ **

Those few months spent with Ryan in San Diego and the others… Dude is cool and gramps likes him- I got to calling him Dad… let’s face it; Ryan was there a lot more than mine. Now, Mom's with Dean…she's married to him and they have JD…

When the hell did I ever get a say?

You're thinking, ‘a kid has no say’. Period.

Well, I'm not just _any_ kid. Hell, I'm not that little anymore- 16 and screw what the law says because …

Okay, so I'm not 18, but still!

All I wanted … she came back- my Mom wasn’t dead and I thought, hey, happy-ever-after, just like the stories she’d tell me… I wouldn’t have minded keeping Ryan around either so long as we were together. I’d have my Mom…

But she didn’t come alone.

Valkyrie and Jericho.

She stayed with the twins and left me with gramps in a fucking hotel… why wouldn’t I be pissed? And the twins are special- not short bus special and I was jealous. Just as quick- Mom was gone again- banished.

For Spike.

 _Spike_!

Never met the vamp but heard Angel complain about the douche, even read up on the terrible foursome- William the Bloody (Dude sucks as a poet) and Angelus? Man, he is fucking twisted… and the Powers That Be made Angel a champion so I don’t get where they'd include Spike. I mean if they were going for bad ass… too bad Mom didn’t peek at the future.

Finding her again… we got called up to the Od VaiLumen's, blah blah blah lecture about how we shouldn’t mess with things we don’t know about. I got an earful of the rules and I met John. As in Winchester.

Yeah… he told me a little about himself; who he was and what he used to do when he was alive. What he sacrificed because of the life he chose, and his one regret. That his sons never got to be innocent like the rest of the dumb asses on earth. But he also told me that he would have made the same choice again because for him and his boys, life wasn’t supposed to be the dream everyone else got. They were meant to be Hunters, to save people from the things everyone told my Mom were just in her head.

So, fine.

Some of us have a different purpose and the people we love are always going to get the short end of the stick. That doesn’t mean I had to like it and then I'm left with gramps again. I get Ryan was dealing with his own issues but _he left._ He didn’t care I was still around and I put the blame on the twins. Actually, they’ve gotten me in plenty of trouble. It was Valkyrie’s idea to bust Mom out of her box and we did. Took us a little over two years but we did it, or rather, I _finished_ it.

That’s how I became… this. First Tau-Vana in a long ass time and fuck did that hurt too. All those records of the ones before me… some things should not be learned at my tender age…

I've gotten used to it, sort of.

Still hurts like a bitch, the memories and I hate the fucking dreams-memories of the old ones. All the dying tends to get real graphic and four years later I'm still not used to seeing it. Silver lining? Regular stuff doesn’t scare me anymore. Between some fuck up flashing a gun or knife and the slobbering maw of Harkesh demons…  Yeah.

 

**_Luc’s…_ **

Garth said nothing and pretended to ignore the grumpy teenager slamming chairs on the floor.

_‘It happened again.’_

Garth shook his head, bent to retrieve another box and pried open the top. He started filling the fridges and sneaking glances at Bastian between boxes. It was obvious and not just from the banging and stomping the kid was doing but from the haggard look on his face and the tired-tense droop of his shoulders.

“You'd think being a Slayer would cure morning sickness.” Jack announced as he descended the stairs. He spared a glance for Sebastian who kicked a chair in place before moving on to the next table. At least he was holding back instead of breaking furniture.

“Well, in nine months Faith won't be cleaning up her puke anymore.” Garth quipped tossing the empty box at him. “It’ll be baby puke.”

“I think it’s gonna be a step up from demon goop and viscera.” Jack grimaced thinking of some of the stories she’d already told him about. More banging got his attention but like Garth, Jack didn’t say anything to Sebastian.

“So how long are we going to pretend he didn’t get up on the wrong side of the bed?” Garth whispered.

“I can hear you _not_ whispering about me.” Sebastian snarled as he stomped past both men who had seemed to have forgotten about his ‘upgraded’ hearing abilities. His Mom and the twins had done some explaining before Jo jumped in and demanded her mark. Bastian didn’t add anything though there was plenty more perks to becoming a Tau-Vana. The enhanced hearing, their above 20/20 vision, superhuman strength and speed. Then there was that unique ability each of them had picked up; Pastor Jim’s healing, Ellen’s tele-empathy, Jo’s telekinesis- being Mother and daughter it made sense they'd share a psionic ability.

Sebastian had one as well; molecular- and it had been rare even among the old ones. Months of fiddling around had uncovered various ways in which he could manipulate the structure of his… _being_ , so to speak. The first time Sebastian had been ‘trying’ not to get eaten by a nasty vampire and thought ‘gee, it'd be cool to have a solid wall to keep it back’. Of course the vamp had slammed into an invisible barrier that knocked it on its ass. Bastian had gotten better at projecting shields since then, learning to project those shields on others, or objects- anything he felt like, really. The more memories of the old ones Bastian sifted through and filed away, the more he learned about what he was and why. Of course, Sebastian found _another_ ability; so guns aren't always just in the hands of the good guys- obviously. Hanging with Ryan and the cell of Hunters… Sebastian figured he’d turn himself into the Tau-Vana version of Colossus which didn’t look as cool without the metal skin cover… either way, he learned that one molecular ability meant there was another and once the rest of the Hunters were all safely back in their beds, tucked in for the night instead of being shot at……He'd never say so out loud but Sebastian thought of himself as the Od VaiLumen’s very own X-Men squad just rolled into one teenage package.

_‘Friggin Colossus, Kitty, Jubilee, and some Rogue…fuck, I'm full of chics.’_

The scowl wasn’t leaving his faceanytime soon, not unless Dean decided to leave right fucking then and there and Bastian had JD all to himself, not that Faith didn’t tend to hog him which wasn’t as strange as it had been at first.

_“Dammit Barbie!”_

Sebastian paused on his way to his room hearing the answering whoof and JD's giggles.

 _“Yeah,”_ A heavy sigh then a chuckle. _“Barbie made your Mom laugh too.”_

Sebastian wondered what else his Mom had done during the time she’d spent with Dean living the life of a Hunter but he didn’t want to ask him. He didn’t want Dean's version of his Phade…

_“I miss her…”_

Sebastian heard the soft whisper, Dean's tone miserable and JD’s gibberish answering him. A moment later Dean started humming- some old ass rock ballad Bastian had heard his Mom sing on rare occasions-

_“…I'll never let you go, You're always on my mind, You're the only one for me, You're all I need, And I'll never, never let you go… When my heart starts to crumble, And the tears start to fall, You hold me close with tender lovin', And give me strength to carry on…”_

“Angel eyes, you’ve got angel eyes…” Bastian whispered, the familiar words easily coming back to him.

 _“Your Momma loves that song, buddy.”_ Dean said in a gruff voice.

Sebastian had enough of eavesdropping but instead of heading into his room he quietly made his way down the back stairs. He'd been listening to Dean the night before, the stories he told JD of when his Mom sicked Roque on them because she thought they were trying to drown her. Dean had laughed though still complained about his precious Impala having gouges of chipped paint on her hood because of it. That had made Bastian grin with sick satisfaction because at least his Mom hadn't jumped into Dean's arms at first sight. Small consolation as it was… And Faith had taken up the voice of reason. Sebastian was tempted to look it up, check the past and get the story straight … but, he hadn't done so.

“How much longer, Má?” he glared out of the open door watching the bright sunny day. He wanted his Mom- much as that sounded like a blubbering little snot, especially at his age but he missed her… there was too much he didn’t know and he didn’t want some Guardian or the Od VaiLumen telling him about it. He wanted _her_.

Barrabas whoofed, his barks louder the closer he got and then the creaking steps as he hauled tail out the back door. Hesitant boots paused on the top of the stairs before starting down. Sebastian grit his teeth and stepped into the yard his Mom had the guys fence off from the parking lot. She’d set up a little garden in the left corner growing tomatoes, chilies and her favorite; nopales. The lonely lime tree cast some shade on the wood bench where Sebastian took a seat ignoring Dean.

“Bas-Bas!”

Sebastian closed his eyes on a silent groan. It never failed; anytime JD saw him or Dean he’d call for the other.

“You know,” Dean walked towards him, JD in his arms. “I get the feeling JD wants us to be friends.” He offered a smile which Sebastian ignored. It was getting annoying- reminded Dean a lot of Sam the way Sebastian was looking at him. The silent, sulking teen … “I wish she was here, Sebastian.”

A lot more than he could bring himself to say out loud. Dean set JD on the grass and watched him toddle a couple of steps before falling on his padded butt. He smiled and moved to sit beside Sebastian. They watched Barrabas bound around JD, the mutt darting in to nudge him or slobber his pink tongue on the small face, earning a squeal of laughter and chatter.

“My Dad…” Bastian shifted on the bench uncomfortably. “He was there when Mom felt the most alone.” That much Sebastian had found out from the Væxça’táÿbefore Jericho had cut him off and explained the rules. _Again._ Because once you see what _is_ there's no interfering. No matter how much he didn’t like what he was seeing, it had already happened. Sebastian turned to Dean. “My Dad hurt her.”

Dean nodded. He figured sooner or later Sebastian was going to impart the ‘I’ll break you in half if you hurt her’ speech.

“About Ryan- what I said last time you were here,” Bastian drew in a breath and let it out slowly. He had to remind himself this is what his Mom would want and that for JD he'd have to get along with Dean. “It wasn’t fair. And … Faith's right.”

“Faith?” because Dean wasn’t aware of anything the Slayer had said that would help his case, especially with the krap Sam was pulling and that was something Dean wasn’t going to mention anywhere in the friggin state of Michigan.

“Yeah," he sighed shifting in his seat, thinking of what Faith told him. "Lorne was doing a spell to get Cordy’s memory back cus the Powers That Be sent her down without them and it got screwy. Mom walked in and ended up like the others; 17 again.” He smiled thinly, half amused by the movie though it had been anything but for Angel and the others. "That’s the year Abuelo moved back to LA cus it just wasn’t working for him in Kansas. My grandmother died a couple months after that. When Mom turned 17…”

Dean figured that’s what had pushed Jaden to leave her family and turn to Hunting in the alternate timeline. He kept quiet though and let Bastian talk.

_Again, she saw their faces. She saw the fear in their eyes… they'd tried to speak, tried to say… something… some warning… last words of caution…_

 

“It was real." He said, shaking off the echoes of her memories. But they didn’t stop.

_Dean heard her whisper, heard her words and frowned because there was no mistake as to what she meant. He just didn't know what had been torturing her in her sleep._

_"A demon killed my Mom."_

 

Sebastian drew in a breath, brown eyes turning to Dean who sat quietly.

“She told you.” Bastian realized he'd looked into Dean- it was _his_ memory… “What they did, that she almost believed them about being crazy. They didn’t believe her about any of it.”

_"I told my Dad." The words just came out, too easily, too trusting... "Just like I told him about Aunt Luc." Anger filled her remembering them, remembering their reactions… "You know what he said?" she asked finally looking at him. "What they all said?" she glared at him, her brown eyes bright in the dark room. It seemed as if Jaden was blaming him along with those others. "They said I was traumatized." She scoffed with disgust. "You believe that? Me. Traumatized." She ground out and fixed her eyes on the mirror across the room. "Because a demon tore a hole in my Mom's chest while I hid in a fucking corner. Because I hid where she told me instead of getting help. Because I was too scared to do a damn thing-!" she vibrated with anger, bit her lip so the words would stop. Dean could see her knuckles were white…_

 

Dean shifted, eyes narrowing seeing the intent expression on Sebastian's face.

“Knock it off.” He ordered harshly.

“You knew she wasn’t herself.” Sebastian insisted.

“I didn’t like J poking around in my head-.”

“I'm not- wasn’t- its you.” Sebastian corrected. “You're thinking about my Mom, when she told you about Grandma Eve- I wasn’t looking purposely!” he called as Dean got up.

 

'She belongs with them… It's where she should be.' _Knowing it didn't make the ache he felt any easier to bear. He was dead in a couple of months anyway… he was going to hell… so why hide the truth from her?_

 

Dean stopped walking away. It was always easy to run and no matter how much he claimed Winchesters did not run, Dean knew better. He had too much to loose right there in **_Warren_** and it scared the holy krap out of him. Any excuse was good enough to walk out-

“That’s right.” Sebastian glared at his back. “Walk out. JD can get used to seeing your back now, rather than later.”

It hurt but that happened with the truth most times and even angry, Dean knew the kid was right. As far as Sebastian knew, everyone kept leaving him at one time or another. Hadn't Dean left JD twice already? So what was there to contradict the belief he'd do it again?

Dean turned back to Sebastian who stood a pace away from the bench they'd been sitting in. The expression on his face- it reminded him so much of Sam in one of his moods.

 _‘Bitch face.’_ Dean almost laughed at Sammy's reaction anytime it was pointed out because Bastian wouldn’t find any funnier.

"We walked into the Hyperion to get a room. Sammy's bright idea." Dean let out a breath and moved towards the bench again. He remembered Jaden holding them at sword point, the broken shower; the Hunt- Dean remembered everything about her and the fear that had knotted his stomach seeing her burn… “She gave us a room. Sam’s the one who recognized her from an old picture…” he cleared his throat almost reaching to his wallet. He hadn't taken it out, the old picture he had of her.

“You knew my Mom from before?” he was incredulous because the Winchesters were Hunters and his Mother had been kept clear from all that until they'd met Angel.

“Yeah.” Dean nodded. He sat on the bench and watched Barrabas roll onto his back while JD tried to climb over him. “We went to school together for a couple of months. Sam made friends with your uncle.”

“Which one?” Sebastian noted Dean’s glance and then he sort of smiled. There were too many siblings.

“Beats me, I never paid much attention and I can't remember his name. J said he used to prank-.”

“Uncle G.” Sebastian cut in with a slight nod. “Mom, Uncle Luis and Guy. She used to tell me about their pranks on the others…” he grinned remembering. “I guess it was her way of payback.” And maybe Dean was telling the truth…

Dean wondered how bad it had been for her-

“She never talks about that.” Bastian hung his head, eyes on the grass.

“Damn it!" Dean glared. "What the hell?”

Sebastian looked up; half frowning before he realized Dean hadn't actually voiced the question out loud.

“Fregado…man, I wasn’t-.” he blew out a breath and sat back in the bench. “Sorry.” The apology left him with a sour taste in his mouth and Dean could see it. He glanced towards JD sharply.

“Can…is he… JD?” Dean couldn’t get the whole question out, not sure he wanted to confirm what he'd been suspecting for the past few weeks.

“You know…he's not like other toddlers.” Sebastian watched him warily, wondering if there'd be some disgust or fear, anything negative but Dean just stared. He'd known JD wasn’t going to be a normal kid but he'd been hoping it would be different for one Winchester. Easier…

“Mom didn’t know about Angel.”

Dean turned back to Sebastian confused by the sudden topic change.

“Because of the spell…”

Dean nodded, once more picking you the thread of their conversation.

“She freaked when he vamped out. Long story short, Mom skipped out before Lorne had a chance to fix her and Ryan took her to Vegas- he didn’t know about the spell and well…” he shrugged but from the look on Dean's face it was clear the Hunter understood. Bastian cleared his throat and continued. “Wesley fixed it. Mom was back to being Mom and then there was a whole world of shit in LA with the Beast and Cordy being evil-hijacked, birthing Jasmine…you think Hunting is scary.” Sebastian snorted, head shaking as he watched JD pull himself up with help from Barrabas’ tail.

Dean had no idea what the hell the kid was talking about but he recognized the expression; weary eyes, like they'd seen too much too soon…

“Sounds like you'd know something about it too.” Dean said reclining in the seat, tilting his head to stare up into the tree. Down in the pit, after her‘re-training’ with Aquilles, Jaden had talked. A lot. About AI, working for Angel and what it had been like at first; her doubts, being afraid but mostly the need to _do._ Dean understood that.

“Understatement.” Sebastian rolled his eyes. “That was a busy year for AI, Ryan and the Hunters but… Mom was happy with Ryan and he wasn’t bad. I mean… then Faith came back and told us she was dead.”

Dean turned to him; saw the hurt on his face, the flush of anger still there. The kid had gotten screwed out of normal and Dean knew how that felt. Resentment built up inside and it looked as though Bastian wasn’t up to telling J it wasn’t fair. Life wasn’t fair…

“Why?” he wondered because the whole time he'd been running after J trying to get her to listen there had been family missing, not a one who bothered to look for her and if they'd thought her dead…

“Aquilles took her, didn’t leave them with much hope of Mom making it- she helped the Slayers close the HellMouth and I'm not clear on how Mom was even hurt but,” he frowned, head shaking and sat forward. “Angel brought her home. After everything in Sunnydale was done with and the Od-VaiLumen let her come home. She was different- awesome.” He smiled, the memory of Jaden in her Fury uniform… he laughed. “Grampa was pissed! He didn’t like her ‘clothes’.”

Dean noted the spark of mirth in the brown eyes, finally a real laugh and then Sebastian quieted.

“I gave them all a hard time.” Sebastian admitted turning to Dean. “Mom raised the twins, I felt like a third wheel especially with them being ‘special’.” Another snort of laughter at the smirk on Dean's face at the unspoken words both knew could be tagged on to the end of that sentence. “So, yeah…I'm just saying… Mom loves you.”

“Yeah,” Dean felt his lips quirk up in a smug little smile though he tried to wipe it off seeing as how Sebastian was just now starting to be nice. But Jaden had risked going to Hell just to get him out. Who else would do that for him? Dean used to think Sam would but recently … things just weren't the same between them.

“Right,” Bastian scoffed. “You were the real reason Mom went, everyone else never mattered. She promised- I know she's trying to get back here cus now you're not with her…” It was because of them, the Powers… Dean was the only one Jaden had chosen on her own, as _herself_. “As for me,” Sebastian got up, reached down and grabbed the bench seat in both hands lifting it over his head with Dean still sitting in it. “Mom left me a little something.”

“Son of-! What the fuck, kid!” Dean kept still, not as amused as Bastian.

“And I can hear a lot better than you guys think.” Sebastian set the bench down and Dean quickly stood up. “You can tell your brother to stop worrying. I can take care of JD.”

“Bas! Bas! Bas!”

Dean watched Sebastian scoop JD off the ground and toss him up.

Hearing about LA- Jaden would have gone for Angel if Dean hadn't been a factor. Because Angel had given her a place to belong, a chance to help people. She found a purpose with the vampire, found _herself_ when others made her bow down- conform to _their_ idea of who she ought to be. It had been Sebastian, he was the reason that _Phade_ kept events in Kansas to herself, the kid had made all the difference in who she’d chosen to be and Hunting was never an option for her- she _chose_ the kid and buried the hurt, forgave her Dad for not believing, she made the best of her life and it wasn’t until Sebastian had been taken from her that Phade fell back on the only thing she knew was real; Hunting.

But the other one, as _Jaden_ … she’d been alone. She’d had no reason to stay out of the Hunters life. Without Sebastian, she was different and yet what Dean loved about her… that was still _her_ in either version.


	5. Where The Lines Overlap

**_Hell…_ **

Pain. She felt it everywhere, even breathing but the angry copper-gold eyes glaring down at Gia promised more if she didn’t make herself get up.

“Phade…” Aquilles trailed off as the ring of fire flared up around him. She didn’t like him interrupting since he’d been in a lecturing mood when he found out what they'd done instead of helping them.

“Do it again.” Jaden ordered as Gia wobbled to her feet.

“Eres una bestia.” Gia muttered in response. Still, she raised her hands and focused on the withered potted peonies and breathed deeply. “Focus. Gotta focus- what the hell am I supposed to focus _on_?” she dropped her tired arms and faced Phade.“I've been trying to make it live again but we are in _Hell_ , Phade. Just about everything dies here-.”

“Focus! You wanted to be a Fury.” Jaden pointed out. “Now you are and all I've been hearing is you bitching about how hard this is.” She clenched her fists and tried not to lash out at Gia but they'd been doing this same exercise for twoweeks straight and each time it blasted the new Earth Fury on her ass.

“Because it is!” Gia exclaimed. “Y no me grites porque tu angelito se llevo a tu guero y andas loca por estar con él.” She was quick to point out.

“You wanted this!” Jaden yelled. Gia had banged on her door and bitched, yelling because people were dying- Franco Vartan among those without a mark.“Shut. UP!” she yelled as Aquilles once again tried to butt in. “You do it!” she smothered the flames and stomped out of the pool area but stopped at the door to glare at her Guardian. “Behave yourself. She’s a married woman and I _will_ hurt both of you.”

“Me?” Gia frowned but Phade walked out leaving them alone. “Yo no ando de culo caliente!” she yelled after her sister-in-law. “Is she going to be ok?”

Aquilles nodded. “Phade is… … she has changed.” Sometimes he didn’t like the changes in his Fury. He was upset with her for ignoring her duties once her memory of the Od VaiLumen and the lessons learned in Hë'lîa had been returned. She had refused to return with Faith to Los Angeles which Aquilles was glad of considering it had been pulled into Hell.

“She's not the same Phade I remember.” Gia sighed. “I don’t know if I like this version better.” She looked up at Aquilles from where she sat on the cool tiles. “She's a bitch.”

Aquilles grinned. “This Phade I understand.”

“Great, cus I don’t so explain her to me.” Gia flopped onto her back and closed her eyes. “What happened in Hë'lîa?”

Aquilles took a moment to sit next to her before he thought of what he wanted to say and what he _should_ say about Phade in Hë'lîa. Her time with him wasn’t always the best, especially at the beginning of her training.

“She wasn’t happy to be taken from here.”

“You realize Bastian was left behind.” Gia commented from the floor. The look she spared him was tired but clearly expressed the thought he had to be an idiot not to expect some kind of resistance.

“The boy is special. He has a place with us but it wasn’t his time.” Aquilles watched Gia push off the ground, eyes wide though she already knew of Sebastian.

“So you knew.” Gia accused. “You saw it! In that thingy Phade was talking about before. Did you see me? Oh my God, you did! You saw this already- how do we get out?” she sat up, both hands clenched in his vest.

“She told you about the rules, Gia.” Aquilles chuckled. He couldn’t help it when Gia behaved like a child. “I can't tell you what I've seen.”

“Well what good is ‘seeing’ if you can't do krap about it?” Gia grumbled. She shoved him away and got up. She couldn’t stop trying to master her element when there were so many people that needed her. “Did you see me screwing this up or can you help me master this?”

Aquilles stood noting the slight golden color of her normally dark eyes and smiled. “You almost have it, Gia. Focus on the flowers, ask them to bloom.”

“Ask them, si como no.” Gia huffed as she raised her hands yet again. “Como si hablando con ellas fuera tan facil.” But she did it anyway. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feel of the dry petals while Aquilles hoped his Fury wouldn’t get herself in too much trouble working out that rage building up.

 

**_Luc’s…_ **

Faith was shaking her head ‘No’, arms crossed even before Sebastian was done talking.

“You hit your head getting out of bed this morning, Bas?” Garth reached up to pat his head and got smacked for his teasing.

“All I'm saying is-.”

“You want to go Hunting with them.” Jack cut in. He leaned on the bar, both hands flat on the top.

“Your Mother didn’t say anything about you going off with her new hubby and the BoyKing.” Faith pointed out. “Which means you're not going off on any Hunt with either of the Winchester boys.”

“You can't keep me locked up, Faith.” Sebastian crossed his arms, his eyes skipping from each one. “Look, I've been training-.”

“We’ve been sparring in the basement, Bas. And I still kick your ass every time.” Faith pointed out before he could use that as his excuse to get on the road for a little adventure.

“I can handle it-whatever they’re Hunting. You know I'm not a fragile human, I'm a lot more and -.”

“You spoke with them?” Jack straightened. “With Sam and Dean. You've asked them to take you Hunting?”

“OH-ho.” Faith hopped off the bar stool and started pacing. “Blondie better not. I can break him and even PJ wouldn’t blame me- she’d kill him!”

“Slow down, darlin’. I'm sure Dean is smarter than that. So…” Jack turned his attention back to Sebastian who shifted from his left foot to his right.

“Not exactly.” Seeing them exchange looks Bastian knew he needed something to convince them if he didn’t want them saying ‘No’ and inspiration hit. “I saw it.”

“Saw…” Garth dropped his head onto his arms. “He's been fucking with the mirror, man…!”

“Sebastian-!”

“What. I was going Hunting with them anyway so what's it matter?” Sebastian shrugged not at all concerned with the lie he was telling them. “And I can't tell you what I saw. Rules, you know.”

“NO. I really don’t know.” Faith glared. “Nor do I give a fuck about the damn rules-!”

“Faith…”

“I swear-!” Faith pointed her finger at Jack who closed his mouth and didn’t finish that sentence.

“Hey,” Garth looked up from his arms. “Dean can still say NO.”

Sebastian was working on that as well. And he wasn’t going to let Dean talk him out of Hunting with them. There was an angel Bastian wanted to talk to.

“Say ‘No’ to what?”

All eyes turned to the front of the bar where the Winchesters stood. They hadn't been expected but Sebastián smiled and walked towards them.“Hunting.”

“He's not going.” Faith interjected with force and a glare at the brothers. She was determined not to let Sebastián out of LUCS and damn those rules of theirs.

“Huh?” Dean blinked. The glares focused on him didn’t cause him the same alarm as the pleased smile on Sebastian’s face.

“Looks like you're in for some bonding with the kid.” Garth shook his head not bothering to hide the fact he was feeling sorry for Dean’s plight.

“Yo,” Faith turned on Garth. “You hear me say ‘He is NOT going’. You heard that right?”

Garth only held up his hands and nodded without another word.

Sebastián wasn’t about to let his opportunity to go Hunting be vetoed though Faith was doing her best to intimidate everyone to her way of things. “I'm going.” He could see Dean start to shake his head and Bastian raised a finger- the universal ‘just a sec’- and turned to Faith. “Rules, Faith. You don’t have to like it and Mom cant either; one, because she's not here and two, because it’s already happened.”

“Woa, woa.” Dean shook his head glaring at Sebastián. “We haven’t taken you anywhere with us. _Ever_ , never even thought of taking you on a Hunt.”

“Not exactly.” Sebastián smiled again; he could make this work for him. “Its -.”

“He saw it.” Jack cut in. “I'm assuming he's been playing with … his mutant powers.” He finally got out, frowning.

“What?” Dean shot a glare at Sebastian. He looked rather parental and with the accompanying tone of voice… “You're kidding. Why are you even messing with things you don’t know anything about?!”

“Step-Dad.” Bastian snapped. He couldn’t help the irritation rising up or even resentment with his Mom to color his words and the added effect the flash of copper in his eyes got from Sam and Dean. “I wasn’t asking _if_ I could go. I _am_ going Hunting.” He looked at the adults all saying ‘No’ simply because they were older and thought they were looking out for him. “I'm not careless. I've lived with Hunters before and I know my way around weapons. I've grown up in the Hyperion- living with a souled vampire whose alter ego is ‘the scourge of Europe’.” He ended looking right at Dean. “I've seen more than you will ever live through.”

“You're not old enough to have seen much.” Sam added just a tad condescending.

“Uh,” Garth's arched eyebrow and matching ‘not exactly’ expression drew his attention. “He's a record of all the ones before him.”

Jack noticed the BoyKing still didn’t get it and sighed. “Bastian- what he is- he's sort of like a library in a teen boy package for the O dudes.”

“Video archive.” Sebastián supplied. “I get real vivid memories of the Tau-Vana's before me in my head. I can see, hear, smell, taste and _feel_ … all of it.”

Faith shifted but Sebastián kept his attention on Dean as what he'd said was processed. He could tell when Dean understood- _saw_ it in the look that flashed in his green eyes.

“So why add to that?” Sam jumped in.

“Sebastián…” Dean could tell the kid wasn’t going to listen but he wasn’t giving up trying to _make_ him listen. “You're better off staying here. We need you here, for JD.” He hope the ‘we’ wouldn’t incite some teen rebellion.

“You and Mom?” Bastian shook his head, sighing. “Dude, I'm not staying because I don’t care about my little brother.”

“Bas-.”

“And you're not going to make me change my mind or stop me from going no matter how many times you kick my ass, Faith.” He glanced over his shoulder at her. “I may not be able to use their memories to beat you but I sure as hell have made it harder.”

Faith crossed her arms, glaring at him because it certainly was the truth. She’d suspected as much because every time there was something new Bastian brought to the match she hadn't shown him, moves he couldn’t know and some Faith hadn't seen either.

“Is beating up the kid part J’s plan in leaving them with you?” Dean shot a glare at Faith who uncoiled dangerously.

“Hey,” the familiar voice and tread of steps descending from the second floor put a pause on the mayhem about to break out between the Hunter and the Slayer. “Is this one of those family meetings?” he stopped just inside the bar looking around at the adults. “I can never tell.” He shrugged and smiled at the boy in his arms. “You’ll explain it to me later right?”

JD squealed, his hands clapping and turned a bright smile on the group. Jericho smiled at the group as well.

“What are you doing here?” Jack moved around the bar to stand next to Faith where he could easily put himself between Dean and her if the need arose. How smart that part of the plan was… well, Jack was still trying to think of something better.

“I'm not sure if that’s meant to offend or if you're just surprised I dropped in.” Jericho frowned slightly.

“Knock it off.” Sebastián ordered. “You spent a year being human. You know human social interactions so don’t play the airhead. You're not exactly blond.”

“Ooh,” Jericho smirked, his eyes skipping to Garth and Dean. “I think he's talking about you two.”

Dean glared. Garth smirked.

“Jericho.” Jack sighed.

“We haven’t heard anything new.” Jericho moved forward, handing JD to Dean. “I'm just here visiting. He's my brother too.” He smirked at Sebastián. “And …we’ve added some members to our ranks.”

“Members?” Jack frowned.

“What do you mean?” Garth set the box he was carting off on a stool. Sebastián ignored everyone else.

“There's a war coming.” Faith reminded them. “PJ said you guys were low on bodies. Guardians.”

“We still are.” Jericho agreed.

“You didn’t…?” Sebastián took a step towards his brother remembering the phone call weeks back and the twins disappearing right after that.

“Raudel, Thomas and Timothy.” Jericho said. “It was their choice-.”

“That’s not a choice, Jeri!” Sebastián snapped. “They had no clue what they were signing up for-.”

“Wait,” Dean cut in. “What are you saying?”

“So you're that type of blond.” Faith said with annoyance. “They're all Guardians.”

“Not exactly.” Jericho corrected.

“Then what the hell are they?” Dean demanded. He wasn’t close to either of the men named but he knew two of those. As close as he’d seen Jaden with them… he didn’t think she would be happy to find out her cousins had become soldiers for the powers that ruled her kind; the Fury's and Guardians.

“They're more than human.” Sebastián explained. “They’ve answered to the Light but they haven’t bonded yet. That’s assuming that one of them has an element to bond with and if they do…”

“It’s dangerous.” Jericho finished.

“So you’re playing Russian roulette with their lives?” Sam cut in. Jericho and Sebastián moved towards each other, standing shoulder to shoulder.

“I've seen where you're going.” Jericho stated in the silence that settled in the empty bar. Sam shifted uncomfortably, anger rising above the shame and fear of being found out though Dean hadn't wanted to talk about it at all.

“Damn it.” Jack growled with frustration. “Don’t any of you _ever_ leave that fucking mirror alone?”

“Language.” Faith reminded with a soft jab at his side and jerked her head to JD looking at his godfather with interest.

“You didn’t hear that.” Jack ordered the toddler who promptly belted out a ‘Damn!’. “She's gonna kill me.” Jack sighed.

“Dude, you've got a Slayer you can sick on J.” Garth reminded.

“Hah!” Faith laughed. “PJ likes to use fire.” She shook her head. “You're pretty and fun in the sack, Jack.” That didn’t mean Faith was willing to risk personal safety… though…

“I should visit more often.” Jericho grinned watching the interaction between them.

“Not if you're recruiting Guardians.” Sebastián pointed at him. “Mom isn't going to be happy.”

“She didn’t have a problem with the Hunters that answered.” Jericho remindedhim. “She let you mark them without a fuss.”

“Who?” Sam demanded. “You knew about this?” he turned to Dean.

“J told me.” Dean bit out and took JD to one of the tables away from the group. He sat with his back and tried to ignore them.

“Ellen, Jo, Pastor Jim.” Sebastián said. “And they didn’t answer, Jeri.” He glared at his brother.

“I'm not fond of ‘Jeri’, Bas.” Jericho reminded.

“Like I give a shit.” Sebastián ignored Sam's clenched jaw or the look he shot at Dean's back. “You can’t go recruiting from family for this war. I'm not having my cousins dragged into this.”

“You mean ours.” Jericho pointed out. “And what they do is not up to either of us, Sebastián. We do as we are told, go where we are sent and _get_ whoeverit is that’s needed.”

“Stay away from them, Jeri. I mean it.” Sebastian warned.

“I've never had the pleasure of sparring with you, brother.” Jericho smiled. “We should do that soon.”

“Quit with the pissing contest.” Faith ordered sharply. “And stop teaching JD how to use his mutant powers.”

“He's not a mutant.” Jericho’s brow furrowed. “He's a Guardian.”

Dean stiffened, green eyes on his son. It’s not like he didn’t know JD was different- he could see it. But ignoring the difference was easy, he was good at pretending not to know certain things…

“He's not a Guardian, Jericho.” Sebastián frowned.

“Of course he is.” Jericho assured. “He's already able to heal.”

“Can you levitate objects? People? Shove them without physically touching them? Because JD can and I know Guardians don’t have that ability.” Sebastián snapped. “He's not a Guardian.”

“You have all the answers, brother.” Jericho deferred. “Tell us what he is.”

They stared at each other, each one pushing the other but for different reasons. Jericho just enjoyed messing with Sebastián, it was easier than being angry at the constant resentment Bastian showed the twins for having Jaden while he’d been left behind.

“Leave the rest of our family out of the war.” Sebastián ordered.

“Too late.” Jericho smiled. “Uncle G has joined the ranks.”

  



End file.
